Heating apparatus.



G. B. COLLIER. HEATING APPARTUS. APPLIoATIoN Hmm AUG. 7, 190s.

l 935,743. i Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

GUY B. COLLIER, QF KINDERHOOK, NEW YORK.

Specication of Letters Patent.

HEATING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.-

Applieation inea August 7, 190e. serial No. 329,522.

l T all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY B. COLLIER, c1t1- supplement the action ofthe motor which zen of the United States, and resident of Kinderboek, Columbia county, New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a heating apparatus in which the heat conveying or circulating vmedium is an elastic fluid such as air and in Which the temperature of the fluid is raised to the degree required by first expanding the fluid and then compressing it, heat being supplied to .the fluid between its admission to the expanding mechanism and its admission to the compressing` mechanism so that the heating of the fluid is effected by Vdoing a comparatively small amount of work thereon.

In practicing the invention the air or other heat carrying fluid of the system is taken into an expanding mechanism where it is expanded and is at the same time subjected to vheat so that the expansion is approximately isothermal. lThe expanded air is then conducted to a compressing mechan-l ism by which it is compressed and delivered at a higher pressure than the pressurel at which it Was taken into the expanding mech-` anism. On its way from the expanding mechanism to the compressing mechanism the expanded air is preferably subjected to the action 0f a heating agent so that its temperature is raised by reason of the absorption of heat from the heating agent. In compressing the air a certain amount of heatais supplied thereto by reason of the work done upon it and the heat which was in the air at the time it was taken into the expanding mechanism and also any heat absorbed durino' expansion or during the passage of the alr from the expanding mechanism to the compressing mechanism, or dur- 'ing both intervals, is raisedl to a higher temperature level. The compressed air With its high temperature heat whiehis deliveredl from the compressing mechanism, is passed through ,a circulating conduit where it may Abe utilizedI for heating purposes either by passing it through the radiators or piping of a heating system or by passing 1t through a device for heating the water of a hot Water circulating conduit is utilized to assist or furnishes the ower for operating purposes, thereby reducmgthe' work required io be done by such motor.

The quantity of heat at a temperature suitable for heating purposes which may be obtained by the use of an apparatus having the general mode of' operation above outlined, is so great in proportion to the power required for operatingpurposes, that the apparatus provides an economical means for providing heat to be used for heating purposes.'

The economy of the apparatus may be increased by utilizing the waste heat from the .motor used for operating purposes to supply heat to the incoming air on its wayv to the expanding mechanism and may be further increased by also utilizing this waste heat in heating the air during expansion during its passage from the expanding to the compressing mechanism and in supplying heat to the air during its passage through various other parts of the apparatus.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, one form 'of apparatus enrbodying the various features of my invention.'

,The various features of the invention will beppomted out in the claims and will be readily understood from the following detailed description of the apparatus indicated in the drawings.

In these drawings-Fi re l is' a diagrammatlc view illustrating a system in which a gas or hydrocarbon engine 1s used -as the operating motor and in which the -within which reciprocates a piston 3. The

piston is reciprocated by a crank 4 carried by a shaft 5 and connected with the piston rod 6. The shaft 'is driven from a gas or hydrocarbon engine indicated at 7 through a belt 8. t

Airis supplied to the expansion cylinder through an intake pipe 8 and the admission of the air tojeither side of the piston is controlled by a main valve 9 and cut-off valve 10, which control the communication between the intake pipe 8 and the intake ports l1. The expanded air is delivered from `theexpanding cylinder 2 to a delivery pipe 12 through ports '13, the openingA and closlng of which is controlled by a delivery valve 14. The main valve 9 and the delivery valve 14 are shifted at each end of the stroke of the piston by means of arms 15 projecting from the valve rod 6 and arranged to operate upon tappets 16 carried by the valve rods 17 and 18. The 'cut-oli' valve 10 is operated to cut-off communication between' the intake in the stroke of the pistn in either direction by means of an eccentric 19 carried by the shaft 5l and connected with the valve by "an l.eccentric strap and rod 20.

During a portion of the stroke of the piston 3 in either direction', air is taken into the cylinder back of the piston through the intake pipe 8, valves 9 and 10, and ort 11, and then the supply of air is cut o "by the closing of the valve 10. During the remainder of the stroke of the piston, the air back of the piston expands, the amount of expansion depending upon kthe point at which the cut off valve is operated. On the return stroke of the piston this expanded air is delivered through one of the ports to the delivery pipe 12. Theincoming air as it passes through the intake pipe 8 is subjected to the action of a heating agent by means of a heating device 21 through which the hot exhaust products from the engine 7 are circulated and absorbs heat from this heating agent. During the expansion of the air it is also subjected to the action of a heating agent circulated through a jacket formed` around the expanding cylinder and absorbs heat from this heating agent so that the expansion of the air is approximately isothermal. The expanded air is conducted from the expansion cylinder to the expanding mechanism through the pipe 12, receiver 22 and pipe 23, the air as it passes through this conduit being subjected to the action of a heating agent which is circulated through a jacket 24 surrounding thel receiver- 22. lhus the air in its passage from the expanding mechanism to the compressing mechanism absorbs heat from the heating agent in the jacket 24 and will or qnaybe deliyercd to the compressing mechanism at a temperature higher than that at whichit entered the expanding mechanism.'

The compressing mechanism in the. form shown consists of a cylinder 25 wit-hin which reciprocates a piston26. The cylinder 25 is arranged on the opposite side of the crank shaft 5 from the expansion cylinder` 2 and the piston 26 is connected with the crank pin 4 by the piston rod 27 which forms a continuation ofthe piston rod 6. With the compressing and expanding mechanisms thus connected the expansion of the air in the expanding cylinder acts to force thepiston 20 f forward during its compression stroke, thereby reducing the power required to be furnished by the engine 7 in operating the compressing mechanism. j

Air is supplied to the compression cylinder from the pipe 23 through intake valves which may be ordinary pocket valves (not delivery pipe 31 which leads to or forms a` part of the conduit through which the air is circulated. The valves 29 are valves which may be set to open when the pressure in front of the piston reaches a predetermined point.

As the piston advances therefore the ex panded air delivered tothe cylinder through the pipe 23 on its stroke in the opposite direction, is compressed until its pressure reaches a predetermined point when the valve 29 opens and this compressed air is delivered into the pipe 31. In thus compressing the air a certain amount of heat isl imparted to it by reason of the' work done upon it during the compression and the heat which was in the air originally -taken into the system and the heat which was absorbed l by the air on its way tothe compression mechanism, is raised to a temperature level suitable for use for heating purposes.

The compressed air with its high temperature heat is delivered through the pipe 31 land on its way to the` place of use may be subjected to the action of a heating agent in a-heating device 32 through which the pipe 31 passes. The compressed air with its high temperature heat may be circulated through the radiators or heating coils of a heating system as indicated in the drawings, may be l utilized to transfer its heat to the hot water of a hot water heating system or may be otherwise used for heating purposes, or a part of the air may be used for heating purposes and a part for Ventilating purposes.

The compressed air after having delivered its high temperature heat at the place of use,

is delivered from the circulating conduit through a pipe 33 to a motor which is so connected with .the compressing mechanism that it assists in driving this mechanism and thus reduces the power required to be supplied by the engine 7 The form of motor shown compressed air delivered through the pipe 33 will tendto operate the compressing mechanism. As shown the piston is connected by a piston rod 3G with a crank 37 secured to a crank shaft 38 and the shaft 38 is connected by suitable belt-ing and l shafting with the crank shaft which drives'the compressing mechanism.

The delivery of air from the'pipe se to the cylinder 34 is controlled by a main valve 39 and a c ut off valve 40. \The air is exhausted from the cylinder 34 through a pipe 41, communication to the exhaust pipes from this pipe being controlled by 'a valve 42. The main valve 39 and the exhaust valve 42 are shifted at each end of the stroke of the piston 35 by devices suchas have already been described for operating the main and delivery valves of the'expansion cylinder 2. The cut-off valve 40 is operated by an eccentric similar to the eccentric 19 already described which is connected to the valve by an eccentric strap and rod 43. \The operation of the cut oi valve 40is so 'timed that the proper volume of air Will be 'delivered' to the cylinder 34 at each stroke of the piston to maintain the desired pressure in the circulating conduit. y K

Thel eliiciency of the' motor to which the air is delivered from the circulating conduit may be increased by subjecting'the air as it passes to the motor to the action of a heating agent and also by subjecting the air during its expansion in the motor to a heating agent so that the expansion approximates isothermal expansion. This heating may be economically done and the economy of the entire apparatus increased in cases vv'here steam, gas, or hydrocarbon engines are used for operatingpurpos b utilizingthe lwaste heat from the motor ast e heating agent.

- In the apparatus shown the exhaust rod- V nets from the engine 7 are led throug the 'pipe 44 to the heating device 32, thence through a'pipe`45 to the jacket of the cylinder 25, thence; througha pipe 46 to the jacket 24 of the receiver-22,-- thence through -a pipe 47H to the heating device 21, thence through a 'ipe 48 tothe heating device 49 through w Ich the pipev33 passes-and are discharged from this heating device through a pipe 50. The heating agent for acting upon the` air during its expansion in the expanding cylinder 2 and in the motor cylinder 34, consists of the water circulated through the jacket of thecombustion'cylinder of the engine 7. This Water is led from the Water jacket of the engine `cylinder through a pipe the conditions under which the apparatus is being used. For instance, if the outside air is at a low temperature, the amount of compression required in order that the air may be delivered by the compressor at the required temperature, Will be greater than the amount of compression required if the outside air is at a higher temperature. The amount of compression may be varied by varying the pressure at which the air is delivered, the expansion remaining constant or it may bevaried by varying the amount 'of expansion, the pressure to which the air is raised remaining constant, or' variation may be secured by a combination of both these methods. In the construction shown the compressing mechanism delivers at a constant pressure after the delivery valves have been set and the regulation of the com-4 pression is effected by varying the amount of expansion. When the ,apparatus has been adjusted or regulated so as ,to operate properly under the conditions existing at the time of its use, its operation should be governed in conformity with the use to which it is put. For instance, if the apparatus is being. used. for supplying heated air for the purposes of heating 4a bullding, it -I may be deslra'ble to govern the operation of the apparatus so that a vsubstantially constant temperature will bemaintaincd in the apartments being heated. y

' In the apparatus shown the regulation and governing of the. compressing mechanism is effected by regulating and governing the cut oil' of the supply of air tothe expanding cylinder and one form of means for adjusting and controlling the cutoff is indicated.

- The amount of expansion effected in Vthe expansion cylinder depends upon the point in the stroke of the piston 3 at which the cut off valve 10 acts to cut off the supply of air through the intake pipe 8 and the point at which thevalve'thus acts depends upon the position of the eccentric 19 upon the shaft 5.' The expansion effected in the expanding cylinder mayu therefore be regulated and governed b, Vregulating and governing the position o the eccentric '19 upon the shaft5. For this purpose theA eccentric is loosely. mounted upon the shaft between the collars -54 and is held in position upon the shaft by meansgof a pin 55 which ensV governing mechanism to maintain a subgages a spiral groove 56 formed in the bore of 4the eccentric. The pin 55 is secured upon the end of a rod 57 `which is mounted within the shaft 5, the pin projecting through a longitudinal slot 58 formed in the shaft. The rod projects beyond the end of the shaft and is provided with two collars v 59 which engage opposite sides of a pin projecting from one arm of a bell crank ylever 60. 'lhe other end of the bell crank lever is connected by means of an adjustable link 61 with a' lever 62. The lever62 is connected by alink or pin 63 withV a flexible diaphragm within a casing 64 and is provided with an transmitted from the lever to the diaphragm adjustable weight 65 by which the pressure may be regulated. The chamber within the casing below the diaphragm is connected by a pipe 66 with a thermostat 67 arranged with in the. building which is to be heated, and constructed in any usual or well known manner to vary theppressure within the pipe 66 according to the temperature of the therj mostat.

. the apparatus is to operate at any particular time. After the eccentric has been thus set, the thermostat will. operate to control the stantially constant temperature atthe ther- I thermostat rises, the eccentric will be opermostat. If the temperature at the thermostat falls, the eccentric will be shifted to cause the cut-olf valve to operate at' an earlier point in the stroke of the expansion piston. This will result in a greater expansion of the air and therefore a greater compres- '.sion with the corresponding rise in the tem- 45 perature of the'air passing through the circulat-ing conduit. If the temperature at the ated to cause the cut-off valve to operate later in the stroke4 of the piston. This will resultin less expansion of the air in the expanding cylinder and consequently less compression in the compression cylinder with a corresponding fallimthe temperature of the `air in the circulating conduit.

I n an apparatus constructed as shown to maintain a constant pressure 1n the c1rculating condult, the amount of a1r delivered -from the circulating conduittol the motor within which this air is utilized, should be varied to correspond With any- ,variation which is made in the pressure'of the system and after having been once regulated the delivery of the air should be governed to main- -tain the desired pressure within the circulating conduit. In order that `the delivery of the air from the pipe .33 to the motor cylinder 34 may be thus regulated and governed, the eccentric which operates the cutoff valve 40 for the cylinder 34 is connected with a regulating and controlling mechanism similar to that which is connected to the eccentric 19 already described. The casing 64 for this governing and4 regulating mechanism is connected by a pipe 66 with the delivery pipe 33 near the point where it enters the valve chamber of the lcylinder 34. With the casing 64 thus connected a rise in pressure in the delivery pipe 33l-will cause the cut-off Valve to act at a later point. in the stroke of the piston 35 so that a greater volume of air will be taken into the cylinder with a resulting tendency to lower the pressure in the pipe 33. A fall in the pressure inthe pipe 33 will result in an earlier action of the cut-ott valve so that a less volume ot air will be delivered into the cylinder 34 with a resulting tendency to cause a rise in the pressure in the pipe 33. Thus the governor will actl to control the cut-olf valve so as to maintaina substantially constant pressure in the pipe 33.

Instead of providing the compression cylinder with automatically operating delivery or release valves, the cylinder might be provided with main and release Valves similar in construction to the main and cut-olf valves shown in connection with cylinders 2 and 34, these valves being operated to release the air compressed with the cylinder at a certain point in the stroke of the piston. In such case the amount of compression and the temperat-ure in the system might be regulated by regulating the action of the release valve to loperate at different points in the stroke of the compression piston. In this case the pressure within the circulating conduit would vary according to the regulation of the operation of the release valve and in order to maintain the proper pressure in the circulating conduit thev regulating and covernin mechanism forthe cut-o valve or the cylin er 34 should` be controlled from the same thermostat or other controlling means employed for controllin the governmg and regulating mechanism or the release valve of the compression cylinder. This controlling .and regulating mechanism for the release valve of the compression cylinder mil vht be of the same construction as the controlling and regulating mechanism shown for controlling and regulating the cut-off valves 10'and 40.

Instead of controlling the operation of the apparatus from a thermostat as indicated in the-drawings, the operation of the governing mechanism may be controlled in any desired manner to suit the requirements of the use to which" the'apparatus is put. v

It will be. understood that the specific con-/, struction of the expanding mechanismfcomf 130 pressing mechanism, and meanslfor utilizing the compressed 'air delivered from the cir-l culating conduit, and thatthe specificconstruction of the various devices andV mechanisms forming parts of the apparatus, are

nOtn'iati'ial andf that the mechanisms and devices shown in the drawings are shown v merely for the purpose ofillus'trating diathe various forms of apparatus in which my I expanding mechanism provided with means.

invention may be embodied, what I claim 4and desire to*V secure by Letters vPatent is l Av heating apparatus comprising fluid for heating the fluid during expansion, a

fluid compressing mechanism for compress? ingthe fluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, and meansv for utilizing the compressed fluid after passing through the .circulating conduit for reducing 'the Work required for operating purposes.

g2. A heatin'gapparatus com risingfluid -expanding mechanism provide with means for heating a fluid durin expansion, a fluid compressing mechanism 'or compressing the fluid beyond the pressure atwhich it is taken into the expanding mechanism, apirculating compressedr fluid deliveredl from the circu-v cpnduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, anda motor to which the circulating conduit delivers the compressed fluid said motor being actuated by the compressed fluid.

3. A heating apparatus comprising `means 40 for 4expanding a fluid approximately isothermally, means for compressing the expanded air adiabatically beyond its original pressure, means for circulati fthe high temperature compressed` Afluid for heating purposes, and means-for utilizimg thecompressed fluid delivered from the circulating means iii effecting the compression.

4. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid com ressing' mechanism for compressing the flui beyond the pressure at which itis taken into the expanding mechanism, means for subjecting the fluid to the action of a. heating agent on its way to the compressing mechanism, a circulating conduit to Which the compressed iluidis delivered, and means for utilizing the lating conduit in effecting the compression.

' 5. A heatingapparatus` comprising fluid V expanding mec anism, a fluid com ressing expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing `mechanism for compressing the -fluid" be# yond the pressure at which *it-is takenl into the expandin mechanism, means vfor subjecting t e,--i lui to the actionof'a heating agentbetween the expansionand com-l pression mechanisms,a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, and means for utilizing the compressed fluid delivered from the circulating conduit for' anism4 or compressing the fluid beyond the' lpressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a circulating conduit' yto Which the compressed fluid is delivered,

and means for utilizing the compressed fluid delivered from the circulating conduit for reducing the Work required for voperating purposes.

7. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing mechanismfor compressing -tlie vfluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, means for subjecting the fluid to the action of a heating agent on its vvay to the compressing mechanism, a circulating conduit to Which the compressed fluid is delivered, a motor for operating the compressing means, and a motor to Which the circulating conduit delivers the coinpressed fluid for supplementing the action of the prime motor. 8. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding'mechanism, a fluid compressn culating conduit tofwliicli the compressed fluid is'd'elivered, a prime motor for vdriving the compressin mechanism, an auxiliary motor connecte to operate the compressing mechanism towhich the circulating conduit delivers the `compressed fluid.

9. A heating j apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid com ressing, mechanism foi' 'compressingthe flui beyond the pressure at .which it istaken into the ex-y l anding mechanism, a prime motor for drivin 'the compressing meclianis m,vmeai is for su jecting the fluidto 'the heating action of the exhaust from theimotor on its Way to the 'compressing mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, and an auxilia motor to which the circulating conduit delivers the compressed fluid said motor being actuated by the compressed fluid.

10, A heatin apparatus comprising fluid lt which the compressed fluid is delivered,

means for utilizing the compressedfluid delivered from the circulating conduit for reducing the work required for operating puri poses, means for governing the amount of con'ipression, and means for governing the delivery of-compressed fluid from the circulating conduit.

' 11. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond thepressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, means for utilizing the compressed fluid delivered from the circulating conduit for reducing the Work'required for operating purposes, means for regulating the amount of compression, and means for regulating the delivery of compressed fluid from the circulating conduit. Y y

12. Aheating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyondthe pressure at ,which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, means for governing the amount of compression, and means for governing the delivery of compressed fluid from the circulating conduit.

13. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressedfluid is delivered, means for regulating the 4amount of' compression, and means for regulating the -delivery of the compressed fluid from the circulating conduit to conform to the action of the compressing mechanism.

14. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, means for subjecting the fluid to the action of a heating agent on its 'Way to the compressing mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid lis delivered, means for regulating the amount of compression, and means for regulating the deliveryV of lcompressed fluid from the circulating conduit to conform to the action of the compressing mechanism.

v 15. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken` into the expanding mechanism, means for subjecting the fluid to the action of a heating agent on its way to the compressing mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, means for governing the amount of compression, and means for governing the delivery of compressed fluid from the circulating conduit.

16. A heatingapparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing 17. A heating apparatus comprising fluid i i,

expanding mechanism provided with means for heating the fluid. during expansion, a fluid compressingl mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond the pressure at Which it is taken into the expanding mechanism,a

circulating conduit to Which the compressed fluid is delivered, a prime motor for operating the compressing'me'chanism, and means for utilizing the compressed fluid after passing through the circulating conduit for reducing the Work required of the prime motor.

18.` A heating apparatus comprising flu'id expand-ing mechanism provided with means for heating the fluid during expansion, a

fluid compressing mechanism for compress'-v ing the fluid beyond the pressure at Which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a

prime motor for operating the compressing mechanism, -a circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, and a motor to which the circulating conduit delivers the compressed fluid said motor being actuated, bythe-compressed fluid.

19. indicati-ng apparatus comprising fluid expanding lmechanism, fluid compressin mechanism for compressing the fluid beyon the pressure at which it 1s taken into the expanding mechanism, aprime motor for operating the compressing mechanism, a. .circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid is delivered, means for utilizing' the compressed fluid delivered from the circulating conduit for reducing thework 'required from `the prime motor, means for governing the amount of compression, and

means for governing the .delivery of compressed flu`id from the circulating conduit.

20. A heating apparatus comprising fluid expanding mechanism, a fluid compressing mechanism for compressing the fluid beyond the pressure at which it is taken into the expanding mechanism, a prime motor for operating the compressing mechanlsm, a

circulating conduit to which the compressed fluid .is delivered, means for utilizing thev compressed fluid delivered from the circulating conduit for reducing the Work rel. quired from the pririie" motor',- meas for adexpanding mechanism, a Huid compressing f p mechanismifor compressing the luid beyond the pressure at which it 1s taken into the expanding mechanism, means for subjecting the fluid tothe action of a heating agent on its way to the compressing mechanism, a

prime motor for operating the comprssing mechanism, a circulating conduit to which the; compresed fluid is delivered, means for 15 governing the amount of compression, and means for overning the delivery of compressed iui from the circulating conduit.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, ythis 3rd day of August 1906.

GUY B. COLLIER. In the presence of-. v

NATHANIELV B. AVVALEs IRA L. FISH. 

